Postdoctoral Researcher in AI-Enabled Processing and High-Value Reuse of Recycled Polyamides

About this position

The Bio-based Materials Research Team at Nanjing Tech University invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher to work on the high-value reuse of recycled polyamides through the integration of polymer physics, reactive processing and AI for Science.

The project will focus primarily on PA6 and PA66 recovered from post-industrial or post-consumer sources.

Recycled polyamides frequently exhibit molecular-weight loss, end-group imbalance, hydrolytic and thermo-oxidative degradation, unstable melt viscosity, altered crystallisation behaviour and reduced processing stability. Feedstock variability, contamination and differences in processing history further complicate their reuse in high-performance products.

The project aims to establish an integrated research framework linking:

feedstock characterisation, molecular reconstruction, reactive processing, morphology control, AI-assisted optimisation and product validation.

The successful candidate will develop experimental, computational or data-driven methods for restoring the processability and performance of recycled polyamides.

Research Project

AI-Enabled Chain Reconstruction, Processing and High-Value Reuse of Recycled PA6 and PA66

The project will investigate how feedstock quality, molecular degradation, formulation and processing conditions jointly determine the physical behaviour and final performance of recycled polyamides.

The research will cover the following interconnected tasks.

• Chain Reconstruction and Reactive Processing

The project will develop methods to restore molecular weight, melt strength and processing stability.

• AI for Science and Data-Driven Optimisation

AI methods will be integrated directly into the experimental and processing workflow.

Research may include:

• prediction of viscosity, crystallinity and mechanical properties;
• machine learning and graph neural networks;
• Bayesian optimisation and active learning;
• interpretable machine learning;
• multi-objective optimisation of performance, recycled content, cost and energy consumption;
• recommendation of new formulations and processing conditions;
• integration of experimental, molecular-simulation and processing data.

• Processing and Product Validation

Optimised formulations will be evaluated through practical processing routes, potentially including:

• reactive extrusion;
• injection moulding;
• melt spinning;
• fibre drawing and heat setting;
• composite processing;
• mechanical and thermal testing;
• processability evaluation under variable feedstock conditions.

Target applications may include recycled engineering plastics, recycled polyamide fibres, polyamide/polyester blends and high-performance polymer composites.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• develop and conduct an independent postdoctoral research project;
• design and carry out experiments, simulations or data-driven studies;
• analyse structure–processing–morphology–property relationships;
• develop formulations, datasets, models or processing methods;
• prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals;
• present research results at academic conferences;
• contribute to research proposals and project reports;
• participate in interdisciplinary and industrial collaborations;
• assist in supervising postgraduate and undergraduate students;
• contribute to product validation or technology-transfer activities.

Employment Conditions and Support

The appointment is a full-time postdoctoral position for a fixed term of two years .

The gross annual salary will be between RMB 250,000 and RMB 500,000 , depending on the candidate’s qualifications, research achievements, experience and eligibility for institutional or talent-support programmes.

The position is available immediately , and the successful candidate is expected to start as soon as practicable.

The successful candidate will also receive:

• access to polymer characterisation, processing and computational facilities;
• support for developing an independent research direction;
• opportunities to participate in national and industrial research projects;
• support for applications to the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation;
• assistance with applications to national, provincial and municipal talent programmes;
• opportunities for academic and industrial collaboration;
• support for technology transfer and product development;
• career development support for future academic or industrial positions.

Outstanding postdoctoral researchers may be considered for future academic opportunities at Nanjing Tech University, subject to institutional recruitment policies and evaluation procedures.

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit the following documents in English:

• A detailed curriculum vitae
• A complete publication list
• Copies or links to representative publications
• A brief summary of previous research achievements
• A one- to two-page statement of research interests and proposed contribution to the project
• Contact details of two academic referees
• Supporting materials demonstrating experimental, computational or industrial experience, where applicable

Applications should be sent to:

• Professor Jin Huang
• College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering
• Nanjing Tech University
• Email: jinhuang@njtech.edu.cn

Please use the following email subject line:

Postdoctoral Application – Full Name – Recycled Polyamides and AI for Science

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Nanjing Tech University welcomes applications from qualified candidates of all nationalities and backgrounds.